The Farewell Drifters "Little Boy"

I evidently have entered another era where babies are popping up everywhere. Several musicians I know are new parents, and I am awash in the cuteness of the pictures on their phones of their little ones. Being a mom myself, I can tell you it is one of life’s greatest adventures. It is so strange, because growing up, I never wanted to have children. It was always positioned to me as a drudgery, a huge responsibility. I recoiled from that, but then one day, someone got me to thinking about the rest of it; the joy, the love, the communication, the teaching. I am glad I became a parent. Watching a child grow is simply amazing, and nurturing them is a wholly fulfilling pursuit.

But kids do grow, and you can only be there for them until they push away. There are things you can tell them that they won’t internalize, and there are things you hope go well. You pray that some episodes are not too painful for them when they go south. Life, there really are no Hallmark Cards for some of it, and no blueprints for most of it. But to be truly alive, you have to make your way. Have you heard about the book, Dear Me: A Letter To My Sixteen Year Old Self? One of the celebrities comments about not being stopped by fear. Go for it, no matter what.

Photo Credit: Rachel Moore

Today’s tune is from The Farewell Drifter’s album Echo Boom. Here is our recording of “Little Boy,” filmed at the Music Fog Fall Marathon, from Marathon Recorders in Nashville, during October's Americana Fest. If you like it, catch up with them on tour.

- Jessie Scott

Corb Lund "Alberta Says Hello"

Monday in Austin, the temperature made it all the way to 77. This is coming off experiencing some mighty cold weather in Steamboat, and then in Nashville at the end of last week. What with a bit of rain this winter in the ATX, the lawn, which I never mowed in the spring, summer or fall this year, is greening up a bit. Flowers are blooming. It is kind of weird. I drink it deep though, knowing that this is the tolerable time of the year here. Summers are blistering. Austin always threatens with the stifling hot, and I don’t look forward to that. Last year was beyond my ability to comprehend it. Cold is another story.

Up at Steamboat in past years, a makeshift stage was parked at the base of the mountain during The MusicFest. Brave souls like Jack Ingram have stripped off their jackets and performed in short sleeves in 14 degree weather. There were heat lamps on stage, but even still, it is hard to fathom. This year was more temperate at Music Fest, especially during the day. And there is a beautiful new permanent stage now. Corb Lund joined Jack Ingram on it for the last day, with gumbo and beer and skiers and folks dancing in the snow. A magical thing indeed. So let’s dig into some Corb, from Americana Fest 2010 in Nashville. “Alberta Says Hello” comes from the 2009 album Losin’ Lately Gambler. Here is the Music Fog rendition.

- Jessie Scott

Sunday Valley "Life Ain't Fair"

Awright, awright; Nashville is a blast, as always. I spent the day behind closed doors on Thursday, but then the night came and I found myself being treated to a rousing performance from the legend Sleepy LaBeef at Douglas Corner. The it was a quick dinner, and a set from The Masterson’s, who are newly signed to New West Records, and have an album coming out in April. They accompanied Eleanor Whitmore Masterson’s sister Bonnie when we filmed them at SXSW last year during the Music Fog Spring Marathon at Threadgill’s. It truly blows my mind how much great new music there is, you just have to dig for it a bit.

We filmed something like 32 artists during Americana Fest in October in Nashville, among them Sunday Valley who were dubbed “Best New Outlaw Band by the Nashville Scene (Best of Nashville 2011.) We concur. It was a blast to have them ‘in the house’ at Marathon Recorders during our Fall Music Fog Marathon. There are a string of Southern dates coming up Here is an as yet unreleased tune from SV called “Life Ain’t Fair.”

-Jessie Scott